Nineteen Animas Valley Elementary students will return to school Monday after COVID-19 exposure concerns prompted the students to quarantine Thursday.
Durango School District 9-R announced Wednesday that a person who interacted with the cohort of students was exhibiting severe symptoms associated with COVID-19. The district instructed the cohort to quarantine as a precautionary measure while the district awaited test results.
The school district did not release the grade level of the cohort to protect the person’s identity.
“We are pleased to report that the individual with symptoms received a negative COVID-19 test result and the quarantined cohort will be able to return to in-person learning on Monday,” the district said in a letter to families Friday.
The individual received a nasal swab test through Cedar Diagnostics, a Durango medical laboratory, on Wednesday, said Julie Popp, district spokeswoman. Because of a quick testing agreement between the laboratory and school district, Cedar Diagnostics was able to provide results Friday morning.
This school year, students are divided into self-contained groups, called cohorts, that go through the school day together and don’t mix with other students. Cohorts were created to limit the number of person-to-person contacts students have during the day.
The district also reminds all students and families to follow the district “3 W’s,” wash your hands, wear a mask and watch your distance.
In its letter Friday, the district asked families to remember to socially distance and abide by the state order to wear a face mask.
“All of us need to be vigilant and highly disciplined so that we can continue to operate as close to normal as possible and keep our schools safe and open,” the letter said.
smullane@durangoherald.com
